Bone black



J. 0. DONNER. APPARATUS FOR DBGARBONIZING BONE BLAGK.

No. 585,6581 Patented July 6, 1897.

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J. o. NER.V APPARATUS POR DBG 4NIZINGr BONE BLACK.

No. 585,558. Patented July 5,1897.

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'CU/Lilie eafdfw( (No-Model.) 3 sheets-sheen J. 0. DONNER. APPARATUS FOR DEGARBONIZING BONE BLACK.

No. 585,658. Patented July 6, 1897.

rllllllllll I Il!) UNITED STATI-3s Y PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. DONNER, OF RAMSEY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN SUGAR REFINING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR DECARBONIZING BONE-BLACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,658, dated July 6, 1897.

Application filed January 14,1897. Serial No. 619,167. (No model.)

T0 all whom it 71cm/ concer/f.:

Be it known that I, JOHN O. DONNER, of Ramsey, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in the Art of Decarbonizing Bone-Black, of which the following is a specilisation.

A certain portion of organic matter taken up by bone-black when employed for iiltering sugar liquor is carbonized in the process of revivication and thus charges the particles of reburned black with an excess of carbon.

It is the object of the present invention to secure the systematic removal of this excess of carbon. The method by which the desired result is secured consists in subjecting all 'the particles of bone-black to uniform conditions of suitably high temperature and environment with a suitable quantity of oxygen. The example of apparatus adapted for this purpose herein shown and described and forming a part of the invention consists of a furnacechamber heat-ed,preferably,by gas-Hannes and containing a circularly-arranged group of parallel horizontal tubes inserted at their ends through disks afiixed to a central horizontal driving-shaft rotated at prescribed speed from a source of motion outside the furnace. The tWo disks form parts of the end Walls of the furnace-chamber and also corresponding parts of the Walls of tWo airchambers at the opposite ends of the furnacechamber, one the feeding-chamber and the other the discharge-chamber. The ends of the tubes projecting into the feeding-chainber are closed, but adjoining its closed ends each tube is. provided With an opening in the part of its shell most dist-ant from the driving-shaft, through which opening bone-black is fed into the tube and air is drawn from it. Each tube has interiorly affixed to it a spiral blade or blades having the general characteristics of screw conveyers. By means of suitable `devices a prescribed quantity of black Which is to be decarbonized is fed into each tube as `it passes the vertical plane in traversing the upper'part of the feeding-chamber. The spiral blades in the tubes pitch in such directions that the successive charges of black fed into them as they traverse the topof the revolves until they are discharged from the ends of the tubes which project into the deliverychamber.V The heating-.chamber is maintained at any desired temperature by appropriately regulating the gas-flames. By means of an exhaust-fan in a flue connected With the feeding-chamber a current of air is drawn into the discharge-chamber, thence through the tubes into and from the feedingchamber, the quantity of air thus drawn through the tubes being regulated either by varying the speed of rotation of the exhaustfan or by regulating the area of the port through which air is admitted into the delivery-chamber, or by the employment of both eXpedients.

The accompanying drawings, illustrating the apparatus, are as follows, namely:

Figure 'l is a central longitudinal Vertical section. Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the feeding-chamber. Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing the discharge-chamber. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken through the plane indicated by the dotted line .fr on Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken through the plane indicated by the dotted line y y on Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken through the plane indicated by the dotted line .e z' on Fig. 5. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 represent details of the vibrating charger and its appurtenances.

The apparatus embraces a furnace A, preferably heated by gas. The gas-supply chamber a. is situated beneath one end of the combustion chamber a'. Air is introduced through the inlet-port d2, provided with the 4damper a3, in part for `the support of combustion and in part for miXtu re with the products of combustion. From the combustionchamber the products of combustion and any air mixed therewith iioW through the passage d4 into the heating-chamber b, from Which they are ultimately discharged into the flue b of the chimney h2.

Within the heating-chamber b is the rotating system c of parallel decarbonizing-tubes, arranged equidistantly from each other at like radial distances from the shaft d. A

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disk e, afiixed to the shaft d, constitutes a portion of what may for present convenience be called the frontl end of the heatingchamber b, and a similar disk f, likewise affixed to the shaft d, constitutes a portion of the opposite or rear end of the heating-chamber The disk e is a part of the partition separating the heating-chamber h from the feeding-chamber e', while t-he disk f separates the heating-chamber ZJ from the dischargechamber f.

The shaft d extends through the chambers b, e', and f', and has its rear end bearing in the box d', erected upon the top of the pier d2, and its front end bearing in the box d3, erected upon the top of the/pier d4. Affixed to the shaft CZ is the worm-Wheel d5, meshing with the rotating worm (Z6, by means of which the shaft d with the disks e and fare rotated at a prescribed rate.

The decarbonizing-tubes are alike in construction. Each consists of a hollow cylindrical shell g, extending through the'heating-chamber b, and extending throughand affixed to the disks e and f.

Within the shell g and affixed thereto is a screw conveyer g. T he front end of the tube, which projects into the feeding-chamber e', is closed by the head g2, adjoining which is an opening inl the shell provided with the fiaring hoppergs, which extends from the tube in a direction radially outward from the shaft d. The rotation of the shaft d imparts to each tube an orbital motion in the direction indicated by the curved arrow c', and hence during each rotation of the shaft d each tube makes one revolution upon its own geometrical axis` Vhile each-hopper g3 is traversing the `upper part of the feeding-chamber e' there is fed into it from the vibrating charger h a prescribed quantity of bone-black which falls .to the bottom of the space between the adjacent convolutions of the screw conveyer, from which `the Charger is transferred into the next adjoining space between the convolutions of the s crew by the time the shaft d has completed a revolution, and thus again caused the hopper g3 to traverse the upper part of the feeding-chamber e. By the continued revolutions of the shaft d successive charges of bone-black are introduced through the hopper g3 and are progressively transferred from the front end of the tube to the rear end, from which they fall into the discharge-chamber f and are delivered therefrom through the discharge-spoutf2. The charger h is constructed with downwardly-converging side walls h h/ and with end walls h2 h2, which at the top and bottom are curved concentrically with the axis of vibrationafforded the charger by its trunnions h3 h3; The concentricallycurved cover h4 at the top of the charger is provided with the feed-slot h5. A-weighted arm h6, attached to one of the trunnions h3, tends to rock the charger into the position in whichy it is represented in Figs. 5, 7, and 8, in which position the contents of the charger fall through its open lower end into that one of the hoppers g3 which is at the time traversing the upper part of the feeding-chamber e'.

A number of suitably-curved cam-bars t', equaling the number of tubes are equidistantly affixed to the disk e. After each hopper has moved far enough along the upper part of the feeding-chamber e' to have received the contents of the charger the riser t" on the adjacent cam-bar engages and rocks upward the crank-pin j on the laterally-extending arm j of the bell-crank leverjz, pivotally supported by the bolt jg, secured to a standard erected upon the top of the feeding-chamber e'. The upwardly-extending arm ,7'4 is thereby made to sway laterally. A pin js, near the extremity of the arm j4, engages a slot in the lever js, which is affixed to one of the trunnions of the vibrating charger. By the motion thus communicated the charger is made to vibrate from vthe position in which it is represented in Fig. 5 to the position in which it is represented in Fig. 9, in which, as will be seen, the feed-slot h5 is brought into vertical alinement with the mouth of the spout 7c, While the lower open end of the charger is swung over the stationary shield Z. The upper end of the lever j is bifurcated and its motion in either direction is arrested by the collision of its prongs f or js, as the .case may be, with the stop-pin ji. During the described motion imparted l by the cam-bar e' the weighted arm is swung upward from the position in which it is represented in solid lilies in Fig.. 'Ito the position in which it is representedin dotted lines in the said `figure.

The charger is retainedin the position in which it is represented in Fig. 9 so long as the pin j remains in engagementwith the concentric portion 'i2 of the cam-bar, which is at the time ini operation. As the disk e i continues its rotating motion the pin j is at theappropriate timepermitted to ride down the incline 113 of the cam-bar t' `under the iniiuence of the weighted arm h6, by the fall of which the charger h is swung into its discharging position, which is represented. in Figs. 5 7, and 8.

Bone-black is supplied fromv the bin 7c to the spout lo at an appropriate rate by suitably elevating the gate k2. It will thus be perceived that the operation of successively feeding prescribed charges of bone-black to the decarbonizing-tubes is performed automatically.

The feeding-chamber e/ is cylindrical in form and is erected upon the end wall ofthe furnace outside the disk e. At the-top the periphery of the feeding-chamber `is perforated to admit the mouth m of the funnel m', into which the bone-black is delivered from the charger h and by which the black is con- IOO IIO

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While they are traversing the lower part of the feeding-chamber. To enable the hoppers to perform this function, they are each provided with the inwardly-turned flange g4, as shown.

An air-exhaust fan n is connected by the pipe n with the feeding-chamber e and is rotated at such speed as may be required for the purpose of drawing air throughthe decarbonizing-tubes into and from the feedingchamber e.

For the purpose of regulating the quantity of air which may be drawn through'the decarbonizing-tubes the end Wall of the discharge-chamber f is provided with apertures n2, adapted to be wholly or partially closed by the adj ustable dampers n3 n3.

Apyrometer of any suitable kind is placed within the heating-chamber at any convenient point for the purpose of indicating the temperature of the heating chamber. In case the temperature in the heating-chamber rises too high more or less cool air is admitted through the inlets o in the rear end wall of the furnace provided with the adjustable dampers o. The portion of the shaft dwhich is Within the heating-chamber is preferably made hollow and communicates by the apertures p with the feeding-chamber e and by the apertures p with the discharge-chamber f. I'lence when the exhaust-fan n is in operation a current of cool air is drawn through the hollowr portion of the shaft d, which has the tendency to prevent that portion of the shaft from becoming overheated.'

It will be seen that in operation the temperature of the heating-chamber may be varied as required by appropriately altering the supply of gas into the gas-chamber a, the quantity of air admitted through the inlet a2 for the support of combustion in the combustion-chamber a', and, if necessary, by admitting cold air through the inlet-passages o in the rear end wall of the furnace.

It follows that the two necessary factors in effecting a prescribed partial decarbonization of the bone-black under treatment-to wit, first, the temperature to which the bone-black is subjected, and, secondly, the quantity of oxygen with which the bone-black` is environed while under treat-ment-are perfectly under control.

What is claimed as the invention isl. An apparatus for partially decarbonizing bone-black, comprising a heating-chamber; means for heating and controlling the teinperature in said chamber; a rotating system of decarbonizing-tubes arranged around and at like radial distances from a rotating shaft which constitutes their common axis of orbital revolution Within said chamber; screw conveyers fixed Within said tubes; means for successively introducing into each of said tubes prescribed charges of the material to be treated therein; and means for establishing and controlling currents of air through said tubes, whereby during the orbital revolution of each of said tubes the said material will'be made to progressively tumble along the convolutions of the screw conveyer from the part of the tube into which said material is fed to the part of the tube from which said material is discharged after having been subjected to prescribed conditions of temperature and environment with the oxygen of the air.

2. In apparatus for partially decarbonizing bone-black comprising a heating-'chamber together with a feeding-chamber and a discharge-chamber arranged at opposite ends of the said heating-chamber; means for heating and controlling the temperature in said heating chamber; a rotating shaft extending through said chambers,and means for rotating said shaft; disks affixed to said shaft and forming portions of the end Walls of said heatingchamber; a system of decarbonizing-tubes, provided with interiorly-fixed screw conveyers, and grouped around said shaft and having their opposite ends affixed to and projecting through said disks into said feeding-chamber and into said dischargechamberrespectively; each of said tubes provided at one end with a feed-opening adapting it tol receive a prescribed charge of. material to be treated at a prescribed stage in each of its successive traverses of the upper part of said feedingchamber and adapted at its opposite end to progressively discharge its contents into said discharge-chamber; an exhaust-fan suitably connected with said feeding-chamber, and airinlets provided with dampers for admitting air into said discharge-chamber, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an organized apparatus for partially decarbonizing bone-black containing a rotating system of decarbonizing-tubes arranged within a heating chamber and projecting therefrom into a feeding-chamber; hoppers affixed to the parts of said tubes projecting into said feeding-chambeig'each of which hoppers is provided upon one of its edges with an inwardly-turned iiange for the purpose of enabling the hopper to act as a scoop during its traverse of the lower part of said feedingchamber.

4t. In an organized apparatus for partially decarbonizing bone-black containing a rotating system of decarbonizing-tubes arranged within a heatingchamber and projecting therefrom into a feeding-chamber, and provided with suitable hoppers, the combination, as herein set forth, of a system of cams rotating with the said system of tubes; a vibrating charger, provided at the top With a feedopening adapting it, when occupying one of its extreme positions toreceive a charge of bone-black from a suitably-arranged spout; a system of levers adapted to be actuated by said cams successively for the purpose of moving said vibrating charger into position to receive its charge; a stationary shield for clos- "ing the mouth of the charger at the time When it is receiving its charge; a weighted arm for vibrating the charger to its opposite position IOO when the lever system is released from the action of the cams, whereby the contents of the charger will be vdischarged into that one of the tubes which is at that time traversing the upper part of said feed-chamber.

5. The combination, as herein set forth, of

the described rotating system of decarbonizing-tubes provided with hoppers arranged within a feeding-chamber; a system of cams rotating with said tubes; a vibrating charger adapted to contain a prescribed charge of bone-black; a weighted arm for rocking said charger in one direction; connections between f. i 585,6 5s

ing-chamber.

J. O. DONNER. Witnesses:

A. M. JONES, E. GATTERER. 

